Chance Encounters
by Code name Anrui Yuy
Summary: Carth Onasai, while overly suspicious of the recruit he met on the Endar Spire, also seemed fairly relaxed in conversation with her, was it because he had met her before? Set 1 day preKOTOR, please review, it's my birthday, make me happy. Oneshot piece.


**Chance Encounters**

The Endar Spire was a decent sized ship, well, big enough that it had a small bar, so soldiers could unwind once in a while, which was enough for Carth Onasi. He wasn't stupid enough to waste himself, but he was human, and like all humans he had his demons. He let out a sigh into his ale, and then frowned at it; it was Tarisian ale. While it gave twice the kick of Telosian wine, it didn't have the sweetness…

"Um…Commander Onasi?"

Carth turned at the voice and found himself face to face with a blonde haired young woman who looked like she was ready to kill someone.

"I'm really sorry to bother you, but it seems you are the only person that can help me…"

Carth nodded, indicating for her to continue. She pulled a data pad out from behind her back and offered it to him.

"It seems that I was assigned to a room in the men's barracks, and only you can authorize a change."

Carth accepted the data pad and scanned it quickly, then frowned when he saw who had done the room assignment, and who she was roomed with. He looked up at her, sighing.

"I'm truly sorry miss, it seems you've been the victim of a rather bad practical joke. You see the man you are roomed with is rumored to be ga-"

"No disrespect sir, but I really don't care why I was put there, I just want the change made so I can take a fracking shower."

Carth raised an eyebrow at her abruptness; it had been a long time since someone spoke so frankly to him, and as he looked at her he realized he didn't recognize her. He met all new recruits that came onboard the Spire, but not her. He knew he would've remembered eyes that were that bright a blue…

"Look, can you authorize this or not?"

Her sharp words called Carth back to reality and he quickly nodded and signed the data pad.

"I'm truly sorry about this Miss…"

It took her a moment to realize he was inquiring her name; her frown broke into a soft smile.

"Anais Yuee."

Carth nodded, then recited the bright syllables slowly, "Anais Yuee, I apologize for the confusion."

Her face relaxed somewhat into a small smile as he handed the data pad back to her.

"You have nothing to be sorry about Commander Onasi, this uh, fiasco was as much out of your control as mine."

Carth held up a hand, "Still, this has obviously caused you some trouble, lemme buy you a drink once you get done with your shower."

At this the woman, Anais, allowed her smile to turn into a content grin.

"I'd like that, I'll be back in half an hour tops."

Carth nodded, and she turned, data pad in hand, and walked out of a bar, casting a last parting gesture with her hand as she walked out the door. Once she was gone Carth turned back to his drink, but was interrupted by a sound clap on the back.

"Commander! Picking up the fresh meat! And here I thought you were a prude!"

Carth looked over his shoulder to see one of the younger pilots, Kaeden, was seating himself next to him. Carth shook his head chuckling.

"I'm just buying her a drink to make up for the fact she was involved in a prank with Trask."

At this the younger man grinned, "Ah, so she's the unlucky gal who got-"

"You knew about this Kaeden?" Carth asked sharply, Kaeden shrugged, still smiling.

"I heard that a couple techs were gonna try and stick a girl in with him yeah."

Carth raised an eyebrow, "The techs?"

Kaeden stared down at the floor now, "Or…it may have been some of the gunners…"

Carth sighed. He remembered pulling equally stupid pranks when he was young; didn't give him any less of a headache though. "Whatever Kaeden, just, next time, think beyond your thick skulls and the fact that she's been running around the whole day trying to get this fixed."

The younger pilot sheepishly ran his hand through his hair and nodded before guiltily slinking off. Carth let out a small sigh of relief that he was alone again, just him and his half finished ale.

He had finished his second ale and lifted his hand to catch the bartender's attention when a flask was shoved into his open hand. Startled, he quickly turned to Anais Yuee seating herself next to him as she held up a second flask, a coy smile on her face. "Deralian wine." She said simply, uncorking the top of her flask, "my personal stash since this ship doesn't have any."

Carth looked impressed at the flask. Deralian was one of the more expensive varieties of the galaxy since the vats were only run once every five years.

"I thought I was going to buy you a drink?"

Anais chuckled, and for the first time Carth took a good look at her. Her hair which had been formerly in a sloppy ponytail was tightly braided, though two stubborn locks fell over her icy blue eyes. As she leaned forward, letting her bare elbows press onto the durasteel table, Carth realized that she was no longer in her flight suit but a short sleeved thermal top which clung to her very toned upper body and heavy pilot's survival pants that completely disguised her form from her broad hips down. Her chuckle roused him from his inspection.

"See something you like Commander?"

Carth choked on the liquid he had been sipping, coughing into the crook of his arm as the alcohol burned his sinuses. He saw out of the corner of his eye that she had leaned forward, an amused but concerned look on her face.

"You okay Commander?"

Carth nodded, sitting up after a long moment, "Fracking hate when that happens," he muttered darkly, Anais chuckled patting his back.

"Same, but I guess I'll take that as an affirmative answer to my question?"

"I just don't think I've ever seen a female pilot willingly wear her survival pants."

Anais chuckled and shrugged, taking a long sip from her flask before replying, "New ship, new group of guys who think they can get away with patting my ass. These pants are amazingly effective as pig-men deterrents."

Carth chuckled, "'Pig-men'?"

"My term for the fracking rookies who don't know how to respect fellow pilots; to me they're no better then Gammorean Pig-men."

Carth nodded, his small smile growing a little, "Well noted. But I was going to buy you a drink, and since it looks like you're towards the bottom of the flask, what would you like?"

Anais tapped her fingers against the table for a moment, her eyes lowering in thought, "Some Corellian beer will do nicely."

Two hours later found Carth and Anais chatting amiably about piloting, each other, and the war. Though most of the talking was done by Anais, as Carth didn't want to bring up any questions about Telos, and thankfully the subject never came up. Anais was from a vineyard family on Deralia, which explained her supply of the expensive wine. She had worked as the family trader in her brother's stead while he served in the Mandalorian wars, she had joined the republic navy after her brother's death during the first year of the Jedi Civil War and was now on the Spire per request of the Jedi Sentinel Bastila Shan.

"Woman walks around like she has her double-bladed lightsaber 10 inches up her ass though," Anais snickered as she downed the last of her 4th beer, "has absolutely NO leadership skills, really depresses all of us actually. Not like you Commander."

Carth raised an eyebrow, "How would you know? You've never served under me."

"Are you kidding!? Your leadership skills are legendary!" Anais grinned as she leaned back in her chair, "Besides, you have an inspiring look about you."

At this Carth chuckled despite himself, "I think you've reached your limit, Yuee."

Anais snorted, sitting upright, "I'm sober enough to go out and fly I'll have you know," her intensely blue eyes found his, her voice lowering, "and I'm sober enough to see that your ability to inspire and lead others manifests itself physically in you. It's pleasing to look at."

Carth looked down at the table, the inadvertent compliment making him suddenly feel very uncomfortable. Since Telos very few women, only one or two really, had tried to flirt with him, and normally he would brush it off pretty quickly, giving them an apologetic smile as he held up his left hand, showing off the gold band on his ring finger.

"Commander?"

Her voice caused him to lift his eyes to hers again, and Carth found that he didn't want to brush her off. There was some unexplainable magnetism about her. There was pleasant warmth radiating off her like a comforting fire to chilled bones, seeming to draw Carth in, and prevented him from stopping her subtle advances.

"Commander?"

Her voice was soft, her eyes emanating some confusion as they searched his. After a long moment Carth cleared his throat and took another drink from 3rd glass of tarasian ale.

"You can call me Carth, Yuee."

Because his face was buried in his mug, he didn't see the coy smile pass over Anais's face.

"And you can call me Anais, Carth."

The next couple minutes were spent in a comfortable silence, both pilots sipping idly on their drinks. Carth then noticed that Anais was chewing on her bottom lip, eyebrows furrowed as she kept her eyes on the table.

"Something wrong?"

Her blue eyes darted up to his for a moment then back down to the table. After a couple tense seconds, she said quietly, "I know you're from Telos."

Carth tensed, his mind suddenly set on edge, "What?"

"One, one of the techs told me when I told them I talked to you." She rubbed the back of her head guiltily, and despite himself, Carth found the action adorable. "And I just, well I'm not, expecting anything out of this. I, I'd understand if you um, want me to stop wasting your money buying me drinks, because you've more then made up for earlier."

Carth just stared at Anais, his eyes locked on her profile. He hadn't been with any woman since Telos, the pain of his wife's death still too fresh in his mind. _But it's been four years…_ Four years. Even after almost half a decade the pain was still fairly raw. Carth then noticed the intricate earvine that wrapped around her ear, a gift from her brother, reminding him that she was no stranger to such pain. But did that make it right? _Well wait, is there even anything wrong with this?_ He had devotedly mourned his wife for the past four years, honoring her memory and pursuing the man he deemed responsible for her death. Was there anything wrong with being intimate with someone else now? He'd been told many times that physical contact would be good for him, help him heal. Carth tucked his ring finger under his thumb, searching for the gold band which was normally there. His fist clenched when he realized he had taken it off today to clean it, but neglected to put it back on afterwards.

"Listen, I'm sorry, I'll just go now."

He mentally panicked as she got up. This woman was gorgeous, intriguing, attracted to him, and now leaving if he didn't do something immediately. Suddenly a wave of loneliness, long pent-up desire, and hope seized him as he reached up and grabbed her slender wrist. She turned, her intense blue eyes wide, and Carth could suddenly see that she was feeling all of the same things he was.

"Let's get out of here," his voice came out rough and quiet, Anais nodded, biting her lip again as Carth stood up. He dropped her wrist, paying the bar keeper quickly then gesturing with his head towards the door on the other side of the bar, then started heading towards it, Anais followed a slight distance behind him.

After a minute or so they were in an empty hallway heading towards the officer barracks when Carth felt her tug on his arm. He turned to her and found her soft mouth was suddenly over his. He groaned softly, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her against him, savoring the feeling of her body pressed against his. Her arms wound themselves around his neck, using him as an anchor to press herself more tightly against him. After a long moment, they finally came up for air, both short of breath and almost feeling dizzy with desire as they just looked into each other's eyes.

"We should hold off, until we get into a room," Carth whispered, surprising himself at the low, husky quality of his voice as she unwound herself from him, nodding.

They walked slowly down the darkened hall, walking side by side but not touching; but when Carth's hand accidentally brushed her hips, he found himself clasping her hips in both of his hands, turning her to face him so he could kiss her again. When she keenly responded, her hands cupping his cheeks, he let his hand slide around to the small of her back, her bare skin warm and smooth under his hands…

The next couple minutes found the couple stumbling down the hall, still entangled in each other, towards Carth's quarters. They giggled like drunken teenagers each time they banged into something and, praying that no one heard, kept on going.

Finally Carth recognized the door to his quarters over Anais's shoulder and he pressed her back against the door as he leaned into her, one of his hands clasping her waist while the other laced in her fingers as he kissed his way down her neck. Carth growled in satisfaction as Anais tossed her head back, fighting down a moan, her hand squeezing his tightly. Carth then released her hand as it moved to cup her cheek as she kissed her lips again, groaning at the delicious mix of sweet wine and dark beer that was her mouth.

Anais, now lost in heady sensations, let her arm which had previously been above her head drop. Unbeknownst to her however, the mechanism that opened the door was a small panel of buttons that was right at the level of her hand. And as luck would have it, her hand randomly crashing into the panel of buttons entered the correct combination, and with a loud BEEP, the door slid open, suddenly removing the durasteel panel that the couple had been leaning on. Taken completely by surprise, Anais only had a moment to open her eyes in surprise before her head came into sharp contact with the small table Carth kept by his door. With the weight of Carth's body aiding her fall, the blow to the back of her head knocked her clean out with a loud bang and a soft grunt.

Carth, who was equally startled as he suddenly started to fall forward, had the advantage of knowing the table was there, and caught himself with one arm on it as Anais slumped to the floor. Cath immediately dropped to his knees beside Anais, sitting her up slowly and softly calling her name. He panicked when she didn't respond and quickly searched for a pulse. To his great relief he found it strong, albeit quick, and as he felt the growing egg on the back of her head he figured out what had happened. If the situation hadn't scared him so badly he would've found the whole thing quite hilarious. But as it was, he was just worried, still partially aroused, and furious with himself. So he carefully picked the unconscious woman up, and carried her to her quarters, at least, the room he remembered she had been assigned with Trask. He doubted she had had time to actually change room yet.

As he set her gently on the bed, he took one last moment to admire her face. Satisfied, he leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, mentally thanking her and apologizing profusely for tonight, then left quietly.

A couple hours later, Carth found himself waiting with baited breath as a solider made their way down the last corridor to the escape pods. He had been communicating with them for the past couple minutes, giving instructions, but he had only received grunts of acknowledgement back. When he heard the door open, he turned and saw one of the last people he expected. Anais Yuee stood before him, a hand clasped over her burned shoulder as she limped in.

"You've made it just in time, there's only one active escape pod left," he walked over to a computer panel, powering up the pod but when he looked up he saw that she hadn't moved, "Come on! We can hide out on the planet below."

Anais then said the absolute last thing he expected.

"Who are you?"

Carth looked at her stunned for a moment. He had said his name multiple times over the comlink, but he could tell from the look in her eyes she honestly believed she had never seen him before. _That must've been one hell of a blow to the head…_ He thought. Aloud he said, "I'm a solider with the Republic, just like you, and we're the last two crew members left on the Endar Spire."

This didn't seem to be enough for her as she walked towards him, gritting her teeth against the pain of her burnt shoulder but still looked suspiciously at him. She opened her mouth but Carth cut her off.

"Bastila has already escaped, and so there's no point in staying here waiting to get blown up by the sith, come on! There'll be time for questions later!"

At this, Anais gave in and hobbled into the cramped escape pod. Carth climbed in after her and as soon as the door closed, pressed the launch button.

Fin.

* * *

Well, happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday to meeeeeeeee. Happy Birthday to me And to celebrate my birthday, you all get a fic! Sorry it's not an update of Atton's shorts, I just haven't been motivated by Atton lately, I think I need to replay KOTOR II and get my arse in gear, I have four or five ideas…just need to pound them out. A big thanks to Muhnemma who beta-read this for me!! So yeah, hope you all enjoy your Easter! (Which also mine & Buddha's birthday btw) 


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